Tube connecting and vulcanizing means



w. c. EHRENFELD. TUBE CONNECTING AND VULCANIZING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED VAU'G. 2|. I920- 1,364,985. Patented Jan. 11, 192],

A UNITED STATES [WIL IAM G. EHRENFELD, on

Application filed August 21,

To aZZw/wmz'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. EHREN- new, a citizen-0f the United States, residing in Flemington, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube" Connecting and Vulcanizing Means, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means employed for splicing, or connecting into continuous lengths, the inner tube of automobile tires, and one object of my invention is to pro-- vide an improved form of vulcanizer for curing or effecting the connection between the open ends of a tube.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means of connecting the halves of the vulcanizing chest whenthe same is in the active position.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for automatically opening the vulcani'zing chest when the oporation is completed and the connecting means have been released, and a still further object is to provide an improved form of sleeve receivingthe ends of the tube to be connected, and the means for mounting the same in the vulcanizing chest.

These and other features of my invention, including the necessary accessories, are more fully described hereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a view in elevation of my improved vulcanizing structure in the closed position.

' Fig. 2, is a plan view of one half of one of the'tube-receiving sleeves.

Fig. 3, is a cross sectional view of the complete sleeve in position in the vulcanizing I chest, and

Fig. 4, is a view illustrating a detail of my invention.

As is well known, the inner continuous tubes of automobile tires are made from rubber tubing out to the desired lengths;

; ci rved approximately to the contour that the continuous tubes will assume when disposed initheshoe or casing of an-automobile tire. The ends of the tubular lengths must Specification of Letters Patent.

PATENT OFFICE.

FLEMINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

TUBE CONNECTING AND VULGANIZING MEANS.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 404,974.

be joined to form a continuous tube, and my invention comprises animproved formof vulcanizlng chest; locking means therefor;

a sleeve receiving the mandrel over which the ends of the tube are stretched preparatory to being placed in said vulcanizing chest, and accessories necessary in operating the structure.

In the drawings 1, represents a base upon which the vulcanizing chest is mounted, This base-may have an overhanging upper portion 2 to which the lower half 3, of the vulcanizing chest is secured, or, if desired,

this section may be formed integral therewith. Hinged to this section 3, is the upper section 4 of the vulcanizing chest, and this hinged connection may have a plain pivot pin 5, or, in lieu thereof I may employ an eccentric pin as described hereinafter. 7

At the frontend of the vulcanizing chest, the lower section 3 is provided with an end projection 6, apertured at 7 for the reception of the arms 8 of a yoke-strap; the upper looped end 9 of which may be caught over a hooked. projection 10, carried at the front end of the upper section 4 of the chest. The lower ends of the arms 8 carry an eccentric member 11, having end projections l 12 apertured for the passage of these arms 8, and the latter carry nuts 13 whereby the position of these arms with respect to this eccentric block may be adjusted.

When the sections of the vulcanizing chest are connected together, the eccentric block 11, lies under the projection 6, and by turning said block, a ramming action is effected and the yoke member is caused to tightly clamp the upper and lower sections of the vulcanizing chest together. To turn the eccentric block, it may be provided with a recess 14, and a rod 15, of suitable size and character may be employed for this purpose. When not in use, this red may be placed in a socket 16 formed for the purpose in the top of the upper half of the vulcanizing chest.

If desired, a boss 17 may he provided in which the socket may be formed. I I

The upper section is preferably provided with an extension arm 18, and one end of a spring 19 may be connected at 20, to the outer end of this extension arm, with its oppositeend attached at 21 to a bracket 22 tric portion so that the hinged connection' so that when the sections are opened, after the connecting means are released, the upper section will be raised automatically so as to permit insertion and removal of the sleeves and the tube ends carried thereby.

The upper face of the lower half of the vnlcanizing chest may be provided with a rib or projection 23 for engagement with a recess 24 in the meeting face of the upper half Ofthe chest, so as to insure proper registry when the upper and brought together.

The tube ends to be connected together are held between the registering halves of sleeves 25, which are disposed in recesses 26 formed in the upper and lower sections of the vulcanizingchestl One of these sleeve sections is clearly shown in Fig. 2, and each half is a duplicateof the other. These half sleeves may be held in the recesses of the upper and lower sections of the vulcanizing chest, with their meeting faces on the line of division'between said sections, by means of lips :27 carried by the chest sections, which enter recesses or grooves 28 formed at the. ed es of the sleeve sections.

ach sleeve section is provided with a flange 30' at onevend to limit endwise movement of the same with respect to the sections of the chest, and these'flanges 30 are additionally provided'with projecting members 31 to limit endwise movement of the mandrels when the latter are inserted in the sleeves and between which and said sleeves the tube ends are disposed. These mandrels, and the manncrof o erating the same are fully described in my atent 1,314,256, dated August 26, 1919. he'sleeve sections are provided with an internal wall of two diameters as in my patent referred to; end portions 32 and 32, of the same diameters, with a portion 32 between the same of less diameter and having beveled or sloping portions 33and 33? continuous with and connecting the several surfaces 32, 32 and 32".

I may provide the vulcanizing structure with a pin or projection 35, upon which the mandrel key 36 may be hung, as indicated in'Fig. 1.

In lieu of the plain pivot pin 5, shown in Fig. 1, I may employ a pin having an eccenmay be tightened whenthe sections of the chest are clamped together, as shown in Fig. 4. In this instance the lug of the lower section may receive the eccentric portion 38 of the pin, while the lugs of the-upper section receive theportions 39, upon which said upper section may swing when the'sections of 'the chest are opened. One of the portions 39 may be provided with a projection if), having-an aperture 41, so that a bar may be inserted therein to give the pivot pin a slight turn after the halves of the vulcanized chest are in registry sothat the sleeve sections dislower sections are recesses, prO ecting lips carried htly posed between the same may be more ti clamped between the sections of the V11 izing chest.

The sections 3 and 4 of the vulcanizing chest receive a heating medium and this may be introduced via pipes indicated at {12 and 4.3.

I claim:

1. In a vulcanizing chest, the combination of upper and lower sections having registering recesses, half sleeve sections fitting said recesses, a clamping yoke for the front ends of said chest sections; said clamping yoke I being connected to the lower section and being adapted for engagement with a project- 30 ing hook carried by the upper section, and a rotatable member having an eccentric pol,- tion carried by the lower end of said clamp ing yoke and adapted to underlie the lower chestsection whereby upon turning said ros5 tatable member, the clamping yoke will be tightened to clamp the chest sections together.

2. In a vulcanizing chest, the combination of upper and lower sections having registering recesses, half sleeve sections fitting said recesses, means for securing the'respective f halves of said sleeve sections to the several chest sections, a clamping yoke for the front ends of said chest sections: said clamping 5 yoke being connected v to one of the sectionsand being adapted for engagement with a projecting hook carried by the other section,

recesses, projecting lips carried by the re- 11o cesses of the chest sections longitudinally of the same and-adapted to engagerecesses in the longitudinal "edges of the sleeve sections I whereby the latter may be held in place, and." means forclamping said chest sectionsto- 1 5 gcther. 4. In a vulcanizing chest, the combination of upper and lower sections having register-'1 ing recesses, half sleeve-section's fitting said bythe re- 12 0 cesscs of the chest sectionsadapted to engage recesses in the edges of the"sleeve sections" whereby the latter maybe held in place, a clamping yoke for the front ends of said chest sections. said clamping yoke being con- 126 nected to one of the sections and being adapted for engagement with a projecting; hook carried by the other section, and a 1'0- tatablemember having an eccentric portion carried by the face end of said clamping spring. connected to Said arm and serving to automatically open the vulcanizing chest when the clamping means are released.

6. In a vulcanizing chest, the combination of upper and lower sections having registering recesses, half sleeve sections fitting said recesses,' means for securing thesleeve sections in place, a clamping yoke for the front ends of said chest sections, an arm carried by the upper section and projecting beyond the hinged connection for the same, and a spring connected to said arm and serving to automatically open the vulcanizing chest when the clamping yoke is released.

' '7. In a structure such as set forth in claim 1, a In carried by one section of the vulcanizingc est and adapted to enter a recess in the other section whereby the parts may be held in lateral registry.

8. In a structure such as set forth in claim 1, a lug carried by the lower section of the vulcanizing chest, and adapted to enter a recess in the upper section whereby the parts may be held in lateral registry.

9. In a structure such as set forth in claim 1, a clamping yoke connected to one section of the chest" and adapted to-,engage a hooked projection carried by the other section whereby the parts of the chest may be held together, and camming means for tightening said clamping yoke.

10. In a structure such as set forth in claim 1, a clamping yoke connected to the lower section of the chest and adapted to engage a hooked projection carried by the upper section whereby the parts of the chest may be held together, and camming means for tightening saidclamping yoke.

11. In a, vulcanizing chest for connecting the ends of tubes, a pairo'f separable sections, a hingedv connection therefor having an eccentric pin, clampingmeans for. the front end of said chest, and an eccentric member adapted to apply pressure to said clamping means when said sections are brought together. 1

12. In a vulcanizing chest for connecting theends of tubes, a pair "of separable sections, a hinged connection therefor having an eccentric pin, clamping means for the front end of said chest, an eccentricmember adapted to apply pressure to said clamping means when said sections are brought together and. registering half sleeve sectionscarried by said separable chest sections.

13. In a structure such as set forth in claim 1, a pair of separable'chests having registering recesses receiving tube connecting sleeves, a hinged connection for said chests, releasable clampin means at one end of said chests, and means or automatically,

opening the sections of the chest when suc clamping means are released. Y a

14. In a structure such as set forth in claim 1, a pair of separable chests having registering recesses receiving tube connecting sleeves hin ed together, releasable clamping means I01 the front end of said chests, and a spring for automatically separating the chest sections when such clamping means are released.

- In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

WILLIAM EHRENFELD. 

